Chapter Thirty-Seven
Gifts of the Magician
Luke and Sharon got back from the last day of school before the Christmas break, each with a bag of stuff under one arm while holding hands with one of the girls. The moment they got through the door, Carrie and Kristy took off, while Jeremy slowly worked his way down the stairs with Tim not far behind.
"I see you managed to get home in one piece, Timmy. Did all your stuff?" Sharon asked.
"I think so. I even had my teacher from last year come in and give me my missing glove. It was still in her lost and found box," Tim reported.
"I don't know what we're going to do with it now, but okay," Sharon said. "Jeremy, did you get the shopping done?"
"Yeah, I got it done," Jeremy said. "But then I went to Quickbrooms, and I had a really weird lunch." Both of Jeremy's parents looked at him on high alert, having learned what Jeremy's definition of 'weird' was.
"What did you do this time?" Luke asked flatly.
"It wasn't my idea," Jeremy protested, and his mother began squinting as well. "I had lunch with a minion."
Luke stared at him blankly.
"You mean one of those little yellow guys in overalls?" Luke asked.
"No, a real minion... one of Bagman's," he explained, his parents' jaws dropping. "He said he couldn't get anywhere near the house because he kept getting blown away, but after hearing I had talked to the Dashing Doppler and the WIAB agent the next day, he wanted to hear what happened too, so... yeah. That was my day."
His parents stared at him again, then Luke folded his arms.
"Jeremy Miller, I think you've finally taken this investigative reporting thing a step too far... even for these liberal parents," Luke informed him sternly, pointing him to the living room.
Sheepishly, Jeremy put his hands in his pockets and walked inside, knowing whatever they had to say wasn't likely to be good.
Jennifer was bringing the morning buns to the table when Leu came in carrying Caitlyn, putting her into her high chair.
"There's a bundle of very strange Christmas presents out there this year," Leu reported as he sat down. "Diana's double-checking them for me, but they don't seem to be magic."
"How are they strange?" Severus inquired, firmly pointing Seren to stay in her seat when she tried to slip away from Christmas breakfast early.
"They're wrapped up in Christmas advertisements instead of regular paper for one thing," Leu said.
"Sounds like a good idea to me. I bet it wastes less paper and saves a lot of money," Rus commented.
"Since when do you ever think about saving money?" Jay asked his brother.
"Since I've started not having any," Rus said ruefully. Jennifer smiled knowingly at that, then heard the door.
"I'm sure that must be Alex," Jennifer said, stepping out to check and coming back in with Alexandria a moment later.
"Good morning, Happy Christmas," Alexandria said.
"Good morning, Alexandria! Why don't you take the seat by Jay? Would you like some coffee with your breakfast, or tea?"
"Coffee's fine, Mum," Alexandria said.
"Lovely! Now everyone's here, I think. Don't you love these quiet Christmas mornings?" Jennifer commented as she stepped over to the coffee pot.
"Especially after that party last night, I sure do," Alexandria said dryly. "You know, I thought having an adult party and a kids party would remedy some of the conversations at Grandfather's gatherings, but it seemed like all anyone wanted to talk about last night was their kids."
"It could have been worse. It could have been politics," Severus ventured, then frowned when he noticed that Jennifer hadn't stopped at getting Alexandria coffee and was busy refilling everyone's drinks.
"You're right, that would have been worse. Solidarity's been such a headache lately," Alexandria said with exasperation. Jay sighed, wondering if that conversation was going to turn political as well. Diana came back and sat down.
"Everything has been checked over once again. There is no magic residual on those newspaper-wrapped gifts," Diana reported.
"Lovely! Let me get your drink and we can start," Jennifer said. "You prefer tea, don't you, Diana?"
"Yes," she agreed, but Severus was getting impatient with the way Jennifer was puttering around.
"Sit down, Jennifer, I'm sure Mercy is just waiting to help. It isn't as if you won't be returning the favor tomorrow," Severus insisted.
"And you know that I always like to look after things during the holidays, Severus. I enjoy it because I get to do it so rarely these days," Jennifer explained.
"You can give too much of yourself away, Mum," Alexandria chimed in sternly.
"What the hell would you know about giving too much of yourself away, Mum?" Jay asked.
"Everything, actually, and I inherited it from her," Alexandria said evenly.
"Yes, thank you, but I hardly give too much of myself away..." Jennifer paused when Severus stared at her. "Any longer, at any rate."
"You have gotten somewhat better," Severus admitted reluctantly. Jennifer made a face at him before sitting down with her own cup.
"Grandmother just happens to be a selfless person is all. I don't see much of that in you," Jay told his mother.
"That is because you don't know me as well as you think you do," Alexandria replied.
"Probably because you're hardly ever around," Jay retorted.
"Which does nothing but prove my point," Alexandria said.
"Just how could that possibly prove your point, Mum?" he asked.
"Because you're assuming that I wouldn't want to be around more. I do, but I just can't be," Alexandria told him. "And part of the reason why is because I have given too much of myself away over the years, and it's too late to turn back at this point."
"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard you say, Mum, and you're always saying ridiculous things," Jay said curtly. "You're the most selfish person I know."
"No, you only believe that way because you see the selfishness within yourself, and you lack an adult's perspective to see the situation more clearly," Alex replied firmly. "The reason I've become bitter isn't because I'm selfish, it's because I've sacrificed so much that I don't know how to recover from it.
"Even before I was your age, I sacrificed my childhood to keep my siblings together after the ordeals we faced. I sacrificed my innocence to regain a connection to the home and friends we had lost in the process. I gave up my family and my home, so that you could grow and thrive. I gave up my life to fight the forces of darkness, often sacrificing my own morals at the expense of getting the job done. I have given up the best years of my life despite the fact that it kept me alone and miserable to do what's right for everyone in this damned country and beyond.
"Yes, I've made mistakes, just like everyone has. But that has done nothing but pushed me to give even more, despite the fact that I have probably paid off my debts to society ten times what damage they caused. I have sacrificed everything I have with little to spare for myself. I am not selfish, I am resentful... and there's a difference."
Jay frowned, attempting to process what his mother was trying to say without really understanding it. But across the dead silent table, Severus had lost all color, while Jennifer gazed at her with such open sympathy and surprise that it was hard to miss it.
"Oh, Severus," Jennifer said through her exhale.
When he didn't respond right away, Alex found turned to glance at him only to get locked in her father's intense gaze.
"It is rather like looking in the mirror," Severus acknowledged solemnly. "It is the closest reflection I have seen of myself in any of my children, and that is saying a lot. You did not get those traits from your mother, Alexandria. You got them from me. It is a very different sort of selflessness than what your mother has. She never makes a sacrifice that she regrets, but I have done so more times than I can count. I did, of course, see hints of resentment after your own midlife battle, but never as clearly as I see it within you now. You really do take a great deal more after me than you do your mother. From the resentment to your strategic mind to your lack of communication skills," he admitted apologetically.
"Lack of communication skills?" Jay repeated in complete disbelief. "How many at this table thinks she lacks communication skills?"
Leu, Diana, Quintin, and even Rus joined Jennifer and as they raised their hands.
"It's too bad you didn't ask that question last night at the party, Jay. That would have been even more impressive," Leu said.
"You lack them too," Diana informed her husband.
"Yes, I know. I guess that's why I've always fit in so well with my siblings," Leu decided.
"I don't know why I even try to talk to you people. I'm going to make more coffee," Alex snapped, getting up and going over to the bar to brood.
"No doubt about it. She's your daughter," Jennifer said sincerely in a slightly teasing tone.
"Then having a brood is a necessity, especially at this point in her life," Severus decided. "Let's finish breakfast so that we can go through presents, shall we? No, no... sit there and wait, we're not going to reward you for gobbling, Serendipity."
Seren pouted despite having both of her cheeks full of breakfast.
"That's not fair after you used to scold me for timing my bites," Quintin commented.
"Quintin's right. You can't have it both ways, Dad," Leu said with a grin.
"I am looking for what is known as a happy medium," Severus protested, sipping his coffee.
Alexandria slipped into the corridor with her coffee and took it to the living room to find a seat and have a quiet moment away from her family. Presents were piled up as they were every Christmas morning, with some in strange wrapping paper that made her wonder if a child had done them. It was almost surreal sitting there and sipping her coffee with voices coming from behind her, her mind filled with all of the past Christmases that she had spent opening presents in that room, both as a teen and as a mother.
The television was covered as if it hadn't used for a while; the presence of toys on the stand evidence that it was being used as a backdrop for playtime. But the computer corner, which Alexandria had once assumed would have long been replaced with a bookcase, looked as if it had been recently used and was simply idling. It was quite eerie seeing it there, and a hollow feeling went through her, missing Ben's presence. Well, she thought to herself, at least he had left a lasting impression on her family, she thought. As if to justify it even further, Rus and Jay had stepped in front of her and knelt before the tree to sort through presents for the family, as the oldest children had always done.
"Are you alright, Alex?" Jennifer asked, and Alex looked over to see her mother sitting beside her.
"Yes, it's just... I was just thinking about Ben, really," Alexandria admitted, and Jay glanced at her with a frown.
"I know what you mean, Alexandria. I can't help but think of my mother every Christmas, as well as all of my missing friends," Jennifer replied, glancing at the two boys. Jay got back to work sorting out packages, and Jennifer smiled softly at the ones wrapped in newspaper. "You know, Alexandria, Ben would have wanted you to find your own happiness too. In fact, I think that's what he'd want most of all." Alex glanced at her mother's wistful expression thoughtfully for a moment.
"I know that already," Alex assured her. "It's trying to find it when I've already given so much of myself away that's the problem."
"It will come, as long as it you allow yourself to acknowledge it when it happens," Severus said evenly, standing behind Jennifer solemnly. "There will be times that acknowledging it will be the hardest thing that you have ever done, since some of it relies on self awareness and self forgiveness. And there will be times when that bitterness from the past will come to the surface at the most inopportune moments. It may even cause you to fall into old habits. The best advice I can give is to allow yourself to be vulnerable from time to time, as terrifying as that will be. It is when you are the most vulnerable that you can truly start to grasp what real personal strength is... and get a better understanding of who you are and what is important to you. Part of living without resentment or regret involves accepting your faults as well as your strengths. The more difficult that is and the greater hardships that you have faced in life will make it all the more rewarding when it's achieved."
"Can we please get to the presents now?" Jay asked with irritation.
It was clear to the three Truth-Seekers in the room that not only had Jay intentionally ignored the conversation going on behind him, he was still more than a little annoyed that his mother had called him selfish earlier.
"Jay, can't you at least try to be a little politer, even in front of family?" Alex asked with exasperation.
"Fine. May we please get to the presents now," Jay asked, enunciating each word.
"Youngest first," Jennifer reminded him.
Jay handed Caitlyn and Diana a present from Hadrian, which was a little toy boat with wheels so it could be played with inside or on water. Caitlyn held it without knowing what to do with it, then decided that tasting it would be the best option.
"She'll be ready for that by summer," Leu chuckled.
"It's always better to stay one stage ahead on those things so she they can learn them as they go," Jennifer explained with a smile. "What's next?"
"I'll help Seren if you like, Mum," Quintin offered.
"Of course," Jennifer said with an approving smile.
"Is it alright if I give her one of the odd presents first? One of them has her name on it," Rus said.
"Oh? Who else has one?" Severus asked thoughtfully.
"Rus, Jay, Quintin, and Alexandria. But they weren't magic," Diana assured them.
"Have her bring it over here to open, Quintin, just to be safe," Jennifer suggested. Quintin carried the box over where Seren had in front of his mother on the sofa to open it.
Now that she was a little older, Quintin only had to tear off one end before Seren needed little prompting, getting down to the square box and opening it with wide eyes as she pulled out a beautiful golden apple. Jennifer smiled knowingly.
"An apple? What sort of present is that?" Rus asked in confusion.
"I know who might have given her an apple," Quintin said, pulling a juggling ball out of his own gift box to confirm it. "This is from the Dashing Doppler."
"What!" Alex exclaimed in surprise.
"Well, there was a juggler at the market and I took Seren over to see him while Mum was busy getting cocoa," Quintin said. Jennifer smiled approvingly at how he worded that. "Seren gave him an apple because she liked his juggling act, and he gave her a paper flower." Alexandria looked annoyed for some reason.
"So these newspaper-wrapped gifts are all from the Dashing Doppler?" Rus said in amazement. "Hey, I'm the next youngest, can I open mine from him too?"
"I'll admit to being curious myself," Jennifer said, and Rus grabbed a small rectangular package and unwrapped it. He frowned in confusion when he saw it was an oddly shaped rectangular book and flipped through it. "Why, it's some sort of coupon book... with all sorts of free stuff and buy one get one free sorts of coupons and things, from all around Pittsburgh."
"I know what that is," Jennifer said brightly. "It's one of the fundraisers that the Whitebridge football team does every year to pay for uniforms. They go around to all of the area businesses to contribute discounts and they sell those booklets. I'm sure you'll find it quite handy the spring, Rus."
"I think I will. There's a whole section in here that's Quickbroom coupons for free drinks or buy one get one free at the pizza bar! But how did he even know I was going to Whitebridge? Hang on, how did he even get a hold of one of these books?" Rus wanted to know.
"I can answer that," Quintin admitted solemnly. "Jeremy Miller told me that he's in trouble with his parents because he's been getting all sorts of strange visitors at home, including the Dashing Doppler."
"He's in Pittsburgh?" Alex flailed in surprise and exasperation.
"Well, not now. He went just after Jeremy came home, apparently," Quintin explained. "But don't worry, he filed a WIAB report."
"Alexandria, I'm sure whatever that report says, it can wait a day," Jennifer said. "It is hardly a life and death matter, and if you're going to leave yourself a bit of room, you might as well start now. Besides, aren't you a little curious as to what he might have given you as a present?"
"First let's see what he gave Jay," Rus insisted and handed Jay his present.
"So far they haven't been all that impressive," Jay said.
"I don't know. I think these will come in handy... and Seren really seems to like her apple," Rus added. In fact, the little girl was almost cradling protectively.
"Only because she hasn't had any real presents yet," Jay said.
"It is definitely a real present. Sometimes it's very important to appreciate the little things in life," Jennifer said with a smile.
"I'm not sure I want to see it," Jay said, opening it up anyway. "It's not all that impressive, it's just a pair of those giant three-flavored candy sticks from Honeydukes," he said.
"I love those! I gave a few of them as gifts this year myself," Rus defended.
"There's a note... 'for you and your ladyfriend'... What! I don't have a lady friend! Stop sniggering, Rus," Jay snapped. "You know I have no interest in that sort of thing."
"Well, you did go to Hogsmeade with Ella a few weeks ago," he pointed out.
"It was house business. We were attempting to coordinate our assistants," Jay said firmly. "You know perfectly well I plan to go into the RBF and have no time for relationships. Besides, she's a... not my type," he quickly amended, realizing that the term hybrid would probably not go well with Leu and Diana sitting there. "I think I'll just break them into pieces and share them later," he decided.
"That's never a bad plan," Jennifer said with a warm smile. "Very well! One left from the Dashing Doppler, so why don't we let Alexandria open it and move on?" she suggested.
Feeling more than a bit embarrassed about opening it in front of her family, Alex accepted the small box from Jay and worked it open to find a folded note card inside. "Oh," she said, then saw that everyone was looking at her expectedly. "'One busking tour of the city of your choice, off of this list of locations, for a day of fun at my expense...' I don't know if he meant that as a pun or not, but knowing him, it probably is."
"What's a busking tour?" Rus asked.
"Well, busking is just another name for street performing," Alexandria explained to him. "So he probably means to show me around one of his favorites spots to work... some of these are out of the country, but he also mentions Edinburgh, London, and a few other tourist spots, so I'll probably just pick something local."
"So you're going," Jay said for confirmation. "Shouldn't you be catching a trap for him or something instead of letting him taking you out somewhere?" he asked flatly.
"We are attempting to give him reasons to cooperate with the Ministry," Alexandria explained. "It's a temporary alliance of sorts to secure some sensitive documents and to keep tabs on him so Bagman doesn't try to recruit him."
"That's what that bit in the paper was about then! About you fraternizing with him and all of that," Rus suggested.
"Of course that's what it's about. Don't believe everything you hear in the newspapers, especially considering some of the Letters to the Editor have Bagman's fingerprints all over them. I can't get into any details, of course, but making a deal with the Dashing Doppler is a necessary evil... at least until Bagman moves back out of the area," Alexandria said.
"Isn't there a family rule against speaking about politics during Christmas morning?" Severus inquired. Jennifer frowned at him for bringing it up, despite it being her own rule.
"I think my children deserve to know why I plan to humor the Magician and honor this gift," Alexandria replied.
"Do you trust him?" Jay asked evenly.
"Not really, no. How can I, when he won't even give me his name?" Alexandria informed him. "But don't worry, Jay. I'll be careful. I haven't gotten this far without knowing how to watch my step."
"Plus having an army of agents around you... and family in the LE department," Jay added knowingly.
"Well, I'd have a few family members in my department too if someone hadn't raised objections to it a few years ago," Alex said, glowering at her mother as she cleared the paper so that Jay and Rus could pull out more presents.
"Yes, because you were being reckless with your Agents and taking our family for granted," Jennifer said sternly.
"Are you breaking your own rule now, Jennifer?" Severus inquired.
"You're right, now is not the time. Right now is about family and the children," Jennifer agreed. "Let's have coffee in the library before you leave today."
"Alright," Alexandria agreed, and Severus pointed Rus in the direction of Caitlyn's present from the two of them.
Before long, the living room was filled with toys, brooms, and other presents, each one bringing excitement as well as suggestions from one adult or another on which ones should be opened next. It wasn't surprising afterwards that the older kids were making an argument to head to Aviation Park, and it was soon decided that Leu and Diana would go with them while Severus volunteered to put the girls down for the nap while 'guarding the springerle' in the kitchen.
Jennifer and Alexandria went to the library. Jennifer went over to the table and picked up a cup Christmas-spiced coffee with an appreciative sigh, finding a seat.
"I really love this time of day during Christmas... when the goose is in the oven for dinner and the house becomes calm for a few hours as the children go off to try out their new brooms... such a nice breather," Jennifer said contentedly. "I do love the holidays and all of the family time that comes with it... but I also enjoy when they're over and I can get back to a normal routine."
"There's still Boxing Day and New Years," Alexandria pointed out.
"True, but I always manage to trade away any Boxing Day errands outside the house so that I can just stay home and clean," Jennifer said. "As for New Years, I've arranged for a quiet dinner at home this year. Seren is going to visit the Blacks and the boys are spending the night at Lucky's so they can do New Year's twice," she said with amusement. "Would you like to go shopping with Rus and I on the second for any last minute things he needs for Whitebridge?"
"Sure, that sounds good. But I didn't think that's what you asked me up here to talk about," Alexandria reminded her.
"There's nothing wrong with having a normal conversation along with it," Jennifer said, and Alexandria sighed with exasperation. "Very well then, to the point. Back when I requested that the rest of the family to step away from Mysteries, our family was not only overstretched, but you were being reckless with your Agents and taking family for granted much more than I liked, to be perfectly honest. And if you don't think that you were, consider the relieved reaction I got from everyone when they felt they were given permission to step away, especially Andrew and Corey," she pointed out, and Alexandria frowned at that. "Now, I know that you and Corey have discussed his coming back just to help your research department, and to be frank, Corey and I have had many discussions on the subject as well. There are a lot of things to consider because things are much more complicated now, and our lives haven't magically become less busy than they were back then, either. Still, I have seen one improvement in you in recent years, Alexandria, in that you don't seem to take family for granted as much as you used to."
"No, I don't," Alex said quietly. "In a way, it was Ben who cured me of that. I don't want to lose anyone else."
"Yes, I understand," Jennifer said. "But if that's the case, why would you want to put any more family members in that much risk? You know as well as anyone just how dangerous that job is."
"I keep my Agents safe by having them follow very strict guidelines," Alexandria said. "One of the benefits of having a family member as an Agent is that I know I can trust them to follow my rules, because I know they're as loyal as my most loyal agents... and yes, I'll admit that I did take that for granted for a long time, Mum. But I won't make that mistake again."
"No, I don't suppose you will," Jennifer said solemnly. "Alright, Alexandria, I'll speak to Corey, but don't expect your other siblings to follow suit, they have enough on their plates right now. Aurelius has two jobs, Andrew has a third on the way and has been working on a new book..."
"Pyther?" Alexandria asked hopefully. Jennifer pondered it.
"Perhaps I'll discuss it with him, but you should know that they're trying for another as well..." Jennifer confided, and Alexandria smacked herself.
"What is with this family's stupid obsession with having so many children? This is all your fault, mother," Alexandria accused her, and Jennifer couldn't help but be amused by that.
"I believe the inspiration for this round has to do with Andrew having such a late start having children, to be candid. Alicia wants to have a child the same age as one of his. I hear that she's been been pestering Aurelius and Ginger with the idea as well," Jennifer admitted.
"If she comes at me, there's going to be a death in the family," Alex snapped.
"I doubt they would ever do that to you, Alexandria. They know how hard things have been for you," Jennifer replied sincerely. "I'm simply letting you know that fact will probably factor into Pyther's decision."
"Then I won't bother asking. I'll stick with Corey," Alex decided.
"Alright," Jennifer said, getting up. "Feel free to call in your father if it's a dire emergency and you need someone with his particular skills, or me for that matter, but we've available only for individual missions. Of course, right now we're very busy helping Harry keep an eye out for the Dashing Doppler on the weekends, but to be perfectly frank, I doubt he will be retuning to the Ministry again, and if he does, it will not be by the front entrance."
"You're probably right, but until we know for certain what this objective of his is? I don't think we have much of a choice but keep watch," Alexandria replied.
"As far as security protocol is concerned, perhaps," Jennifer acknowledged. "But I think you know as well as I do that you are the only one who can uncover his real objective, and considering his Christmas gift, you now have the means to do so."
"You're right. I need to find a way to trip him up somehow," Alexandria schemed, her mother becoming amused once more. "I'm going to ask him to go out on New Year's Eve... no, the day of. I'm setting myself a deadline... to find out before midnight."
"Good luck," Jennifer said with a smile. "I myself will be very much looking forward of not having to 'guard the reception area' ever again."
"I guess I don't blame you," Alexandria said sympathetically, and the two of them went back downstairs.
